Cushion shoe and method of making same



June 3, 1947. C,'C EATON ErAL 2,421,605

CUSHION SHOE AND METHOD OF MAKING SQME Filed Feb. 20, 1945 Patented 'June 3, 1947 CUSHION SHOE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME lCharles Chester Eaton, Brockton, and Charles Chester Eaton, Jr., Hingham, Mass., assignors to Charles A. Eaton Company, Brockton, Mass.. a lcorporation of Massachusetts Application February zo, 1945,' serial No. 578,803

s 4claims. (ci. sri-fzs) l This inventionrelates to improvements in the construction of a cushion type of shoe, that is,` a shoe having in the sole a layer of soft, yielding material such as sponge rubber, cork or the like. Diiiiculties have been experienced in attaching heels to shoes of this variety, owing to the soft'r and tender natureof the materials of which such cushion layers are usually made. It is an object of the present invention to provide 4an improved method of constructing such shoes economically but eectively.

, In making cushion shoes, the cushion layer is usually placed between the insole and a cover or liner, the latter being directly in contact with the last. According to the present invention, the liner has no heel portion during the lasting operations so that when the heel is` nailed on,- the nails are clinched back in the cushion layer and against the insole, as hereinafter described in more detail, so that the heel cannot Work loose afterward; A A

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a shoe made according to the present invention,` a portion being broken away to showin section.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the heel portion of a last with a shoe thereon.

Figure 3 is a corresponding view of the heel portion of the shoe after it has been delasted.

Figure 4 is a perspective View of a laminated element of the shoe before it is lasted.

Before the shoe is assembled on the last, the structure illustrated in Figure 4 is prepared by cementing together a full length insole III and cushion I2 and a liner or cover I4 which overlies the ball and shank portions of the cushion layer, but not the heel portion thereof, Vand terminates in a skived edge I6. Any suitable adhesive may be employed for this purpose. The unit is then stitched all around its edge, preferably by zig-zag stitching AIB which rmly secures the edges of the layers from separating.

The shoe may then be assembled on the .last

' 20 as desired. The last is provided with the usual steel plate 22 on its heel surface. When the insole unit has been tacked to the last, the upper 24 is pulled over and lasted and theoutsole 26 put on and secured, .a shank stiffener 2l being included if desired. rI'he heel 28 is then nailed on. The length of the nails 30 which are used for the heel is such that the nails pierce cushion layer I2 is under considerable compres- 4 sion by reason of the lasting operationswhich temporarily flatten it to a fraction of its unstressed thickness. For example, a cushion layer having a natural thickness of 1A" to 135'? may be compressed to approximately half its original' thickness. The thickness of the cushion layer should be selected so that its thickness when compressed against the last will be substantially equal tothe distance of curl-back produced in the pointed end portion of the nail when it is clinched byV driving its end against the steel plate of the last. Ordinarily, a good clinch is obtained when the nail turns back to a distance of approximately 11s". When the shoe is removed from the last, the pressure is relievedand the cushion layer returns substantially to its original thickness, as indicated in Figure 3. As the cushion layer is of tender material such as sponge rubber, cork sheet, or the like, the clinched nails would pull away from the lliner and through thecushion layer. This would result'in a highly undesirable looseness of the heel. By the present invention, this diiilculty is avoided by using a liner I4 which extends only as far as the heel so that the heel portion of the cushion layer I2 bears directly against the plate 22 when the shoe is on the last.

After the shoe is delasted, a heel pad 32, skived at its forward edge 34 is t against the skived edge I6, and is cemented in place in the shoe to complete the liner.

We claim:

L A method of shoemaking which comprises assembling a sole member consisting of an insole, a full-length cushion layer of soft compressible material and a liner, said liner being of a length to extend from the toe to the breast of the heel, lasting said sole member with an upper arid out- `sole so that the cushion member is compressed and the heely portion thereof bears directly against the last, nailing the heel on with nails which are long enough to clinch back and conthrough the outsole, the insole andthe cushion, and are turned back by the steel plate 22 to clinch against the insole I0.

As indicated in Figure 2, the compressible tact the insole, delasting the shoe, and inserting a heel pad to cover the exposed portion of the cushion layer within the shoe.

2. A shoe having an outsole, an insole and a cushion layer of soft compressible material extending substantially the full length of the shoe.

a heel nailed on with the nails clinched in said cushion layer against the adjacent face of the insole, and a. liner overlying said cushion layer, said liner having one portion extending from the toe of the shoe approximately to the breast of the heel and a separate heel portion adhesively secured to the heel portion of the cushion layer.

3. A shoe having therein a unit-l consisting of an insole, a cushion layer of soft compressibie material and a liner overlying the ball and shank portions only of said cushion layer, the elements of said unit having stitching around the entire peripheriI thereof, a heel nailed on with nails REFERENCES CITED The following references are-:"'Jf record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,122,809 Daniels July 5, 1938 

